HI ALL:
Someone might find this interesting or maybe not!

Ian Paulsen
Bainbridge Island, WA, USA
ipaulsen at krl.org
A.K.A.: "Birdbooker"
"Rallidae all the way"

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Sat, 4 May 2002 07:29:46 -0600
From: David White <drmwhite at NETS.COM>
To: BIRDCHAT at listserv.arizona.edu
Subject: [BIRDCHAT] Snipe & cultural misconceptions

Good morning, Chatters.
The Associated Press reported this morning that there is a culture clash going on between American and British peacekeeping forces in Kabul, because the British chose to name a pursuit mission "Operation Snipe."
To the Brits, this means an organized bird shoot. To the Americans it has implications of a "wild goose chase." The AP reported angry reactions from some U.S. military personnel...
I knew that many people incorrectly believe snipe are nonexistent; I recently mentioned having seen a snipe to my Dad (born in 1910) and he was incredulous--having been sent to hold the bag by some older teens, when he was growing up in West Texas.
But I was surprised to see that The Dictionary of American Slang has been taken in--hoaxed by the hoax, as it were--as it calls snipe "a nonexistent animal."

David White
drmwhite at nets.com
Santa Fe NM


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